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Aviation History
1929
1929 - 1290.PDF
FLIGHT, JUNE 20, 1929 PRIVATE FLYING A Section of FLIGHT in the Interests of the Private Owner, Owner-Pilot, and Club Member A WESTERN CANADA FLYING MEETING Winnipeg Attracts Record Crowd WE are informed that the largest gathering of aircraftyet seen in Western Canada was the result of aVictoria Day effort on the part of the Winnipeg Flying Club in May. Celebrating its first birthday the Club helda two-day meet at Stevenson Aerodrome which was attended by 51 machines and a crowd totalling over 30,000 people. There were 12 D.H. Moths and two Avro-Avians, theproperty of the flying clubs of Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, Regina and Winnipeg, contending for honours in races, aerobatics,dead-stick landings and balloon bursting, with exhibitions in formation flying and bombing. The star turn of the afternoon was a visitor from acrossthe International Boundary. Although not eligible as a contestant on the first day, his performance was such, andhis addition to the attraction of the show so considerable, that the judges saw fit to award him special prizes. He wasMr. Verne Roberts, test-pilot of the Mono Aircraft Company of Moline, 111., and his handling of the tiny 65 h.p. side-by-side cabin two-seater called the " Monocoupe " was a revelation. The programme was given a send-off by His Honour, Lieut.-Governor J. D. McGregor, of Manitoba, who addressed the crowd over the loud-speaker installation, the latter being apopular addition to the facilities of the day as a means of getting to the spectators the names of pilots, machines andevolutions as well as the hundred and one details which help to add interest to an air meeting for the lay observer. The judges were Squadron Leader N. R. Anderson,R.C.A.F., Capt. L. W, Brintnell, Western Canada Airways ; Flight Lieut. C. H. " Punch " Dickins ; Capt. H. A. Oaks,Northern Aerial Minerals Exploration Co., and Mr. W, McCurdy. Twenty-six machines took the air for a fly-past, the pre-ponderance of D.H. Moths giving the show quite a Stag- Lane appearance. Technical winners were Capt. " Wop " May, of Edmonton,in aerobatics ; Mr. R. J. Groome, of Regina, dead-stick landing ; M. de Bhcquy, Winnipeg, 10-mile race ; Mr. TedHolmes, Regina, balloon bursting. In all but the dead-stick landing, when he was a very close third in a tight finish,Mr. Roberts and his surprising Monocoupe shone pre-eminent. In sheer speed, states the Winnipeg club's report, he out-distanced four Gipsy Moths on the level besides gaining on the corners. In a short machine with no dihedral, the manoeuvrability was almost expected, and the slow rollsand inverted flying were sheer fine handling, but the quality of the machine in climb and speed were an astonishment toall those who knew the Velie radial is rated at 65 h.p. Miss Eileen Magill, of the Winnipeg Flying Club, flew aMoth in the bombing competition, the only certain result of which was the deafening disappearance of the " Fort "at the conclusion of the show shortly after a zoom by the Winnipeg Flying Club formation. The utter erasure of thebuilding—not to mention a furtive sergeant of the Royal Canadian Engineers—aroused some suspicion of a " planted "charge. Miss Magill was hostess during the two days to Mrs. PhoebeOmlie and Miss Florence Klingensmith, two visiting avia- trices. First Western Aircraft Exhibition The aircraft exhibition, the first ever attempted in theWest, aroused a good deal of interest, especially the engine exhibit, which included Whirlwind, Wasp, Liberty, Le Rhone,Lynx and Cirrus specimens. The Huff-Daland Puffer, used to spray wheat fields with sulphur dust against the dreadedstem-rust, was a drawing card for a western crowd, and the new Hornet-powered Junkers of the Western Canada Air-ways, with their tri-motored Fokker and smaller craft, made an attractive display. Airport lighting by several companies, and revolvingbeacons, enabled a number of machines to do the first (inten- tional) night flying seen hereabouts and a club machine wanfestooned with small bulbs and flown with effect by Mr. de Blicquy. On the second day a further twenty-five planes came infrom Saint Paul and intermediate points. They were led by the Ford all-metal transport powered with three Wasps,and a Hamilton eight-seater with a Hornet engine and piloted by Mr. Charles W. " Speed " Holman, recent winner of theGardner Cup. These were the main centres of interest with the two Douglas army planes brought by Major Ray S. Miller.109th Aero Squadron, and Lieut. Tom Lane. Two Curtiss Robins were also exceedingly interesting in the crowd of moreor less stereotyped OX 5 biplanes. Half a gale of wind and subsequent rain spoiled the secondday's programme. Only the heavyweights took the air for a fly-past, but the looping in formation of the U.S. military Great and Small at the Winnipeg Aviation Meet, May 24 and 25. The 65 h.p. Monocoupe of Mr. Verne Roberts and the tri-motor Fokker owned by the Western Canada Airways. , ... Y
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